On phosphate mining

DR. CHRIS BROWN WRITES:

Thank you for the opportunity to respond to the letter from Thomas Rathenam ("Open letter to Dr. Chris Brown", 27 June 2022), who raises some relevant considerations.

The work on understanding the possible impacts of marine phosphate mining in Namibia has been ongoing for about ten years. New specialist studies were commissioned in response to various concerns raised.

To date, some 27 specialist studies have been undertaken by independent scientists, and these have been reviewed by other independent scientists. The more studies that are done showing no significant environmental impacts to the marine ecosystem and no significant conflict with the fishing sector, the more confident we can become.

In addition, we are learning more about the recovery of the seabed and its benthic fauna (all the animals that live in the sand and mud at the bottom of the sea) from many years of monitoring of marine diamond mining. This independent monitoring shows that the dredged seabed recovers in about a decade or less, at which point scientists can no longer differentiate mined from non-mined seabed based on the benthic biodiversity. This shows that dredge mining could be considered sustainable mining. Very different from on-land mining, where mine scars and pits exist forever in human time.

However, there are few things in life about which we can be 100% confident. We use our knowledge and judgement to make reasonable and responsible decisions. There is always more we could do to provide safeguards. One such safeguard that I have recommended is that an independent research organisation be appointed to monitor the ongoing effect of marine phosphate mining, in a similar manner to that in the marine diamond mining sector.

Second, I have recommended that the independent research organisation reports to a committee comprising various government agencies including the ministries of fisheries and mines, the private sector fishing industry, environmental NGOs, academia and any other relevant stakeholders.

And third, I recommended that the results of the independent monitoring be put on a dedicated website in the public domain in as close to real time as possible, with an explanation of the data to make the information accessible to all interested and affected parties. In this way marine phosphate mining can be open and transparent.

Any problems will be picked up quickly and mitigation applied. However, there are no indications from all the studies that there will be any problems. What the transparent information sharing will do is slowly build society’s trust and confidence that marine phosphate mining in Namibia is not a threat to the environment or to the fishing sector.

On some of the other issues raised, unfortunately there is a tendency in Namibia to attack the person and try and bring their reputation into disrepute if you disagree with their views. This turns a proper constructive discussion on specific technical issues – what is good for Namibia’s sustainable development for example - into a farce and a personality slanging match. Really not useful.

Just for clarity, I and the NCE have not had a penny from the marine phosphate industry – not so much as a cup of tea. We are totally independent from all funding sources in terms of policy, position and views.

We look at each project based on its specific merits. We look at not just the ecological issues, but also the social and economic. Some projects we think are worth supporting for the good of Namibia, some projects we strongly oppose – for the good of Namibia. This includes mining and exploration projects.

The issue of the possible release of uranium – a radioactive heavy metal - has been specifically studied as one of the independent specialist studies. Uranium is contained within the sand particles. It is in low concentration, inert and stable. There is no indication that there is any risk to the marine ecosystem or the fishing sector.

The footprint of the marine phosphate dredging covers on average about 1.7 sq km per year, using a suction dredger with most of the dredged material loaded onto a ship and transported to shore. The diamond dredging process covers a much larger area each year than the proposed phosphate mining project, wiith no problems from heavy metals and radioactive material.

The deep sea trawling sector disturbs a conservative 18 500 sq km of seabed every year. With no known problems from heavy metals and radioactive material.

The fishing sector is the sector that really needs transparency, close monitoring and EIA work.